Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bethel Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bethel, Alaska 99559
Friday, October 5, 2001 17:50 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The certificated commercial pilot, with the two passengers, was landing a tailwheel-equipped airplane on a dry, paved runway. In a written statement to the NTSB, the pilot reported that while on approach for landing on runway 18, he encountered wind estimated to be from 230 degrees at 8 knots. The pilot wrote: "Upon contact of the mains, I felt a very hard pull to the right. I then applied left rudder and brake, but this was ineffective in stopping it from coming around to the right." The airplane ultimately ground looped to the right, and the left wing and left elevator struck the edge of the runway. A postaccident disassembly and inspection of the accident airplane's tailwheel assembly revealed that tailwheel steering horn showed signs of wear.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. Factors associated in the accident were a crosswind, and a worn tailwheel steering horn.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/5/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1750 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | Bethel |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99559 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 604500N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1615028W |
| Event Location Airport | Bethel |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BET |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12557 |
| NTSB Notification Source | ANC FAA ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 5 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2000 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 16 2003 4:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Anchorage FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9344N |
| NTSB Number | ANC02TA001 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 185F |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18504334 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3350 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 17 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 137.9 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | U.S. Department of the Interior |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4837 Aircraft Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Anchorage |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99502 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Office of Aircraft Services |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | P.O.Box 346 |
| Operator City | Bethel |
| Operator State | AK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 99559 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | BET |
| Departure City | Bethel |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1430 |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | BET |
| Destination City | Bethel |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - roll |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 23 2002 6:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 6400 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |